Tobacco-ivioistener



(No Model.)

T. SIDWAY,

- TOBACCO MOISTENBR.

No. 562,495. 7 Patented June 23, 1896.

UNITED STATE PATENT Urrrcn.

HENRY T. SIDIVAY, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TOBACCO-MOISTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,495, dated June 23, 1896.

Application filed October 9, 1894 Serial No. 525,377. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY T. SIDWAY, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Moisteners, of which the following is a specifica tion.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient apparatus for moistening cigars, tobacco, &c.; and the invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvement ready for use Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a transverse section taken on line 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In constructing my improvement, I make a shell A, of the desired form and size, preferring the form of a cigar, and divide the in terior of this shell into two chambers A and A by means of a partition a. I fill the chamber A with a suitable absorbent material, preferring for that purpose mineral wool, which in the dry northernclimates will hold a sufficient quantity of moisture and is less liable to become foul than any of the animal or vegetable substances. The chamber A is for the purpose of holding a quantity of liquid, preferably water, while the partition to is provided with an opening a, through which is inserted a Wick B, which acts to conduct a sufficient amount of moisture from the liquid-ch amber to the mineral-wool chamber.

The shell is provided with perforations 6X- tending entirely around that portion which inclosesthe mineral-wool chamber, while it is imperforate where it surrounds the liquid or water, so that the moisture, which the mineral wool will hold or absorb, may be evaporated and pass out through the perforations in the shell for the purpose of supplying the surrounding'atmosphere with sufficient moisture for the purpose desired. The smooth portion of the shell is provided with an opening at a", through which is inserted a wick a so that by feeling the outer end of this wick the presence of liquid in the liquid-chamber may always be detected. I provide the shell with a name-plate 0,-which may be attached thereto in any convenient mannerpreferably by soldering-so that any desired name or brand of cigar, or advertisement, may be placed thereon. This namea cap D, through which the mineral wool,

850., may be inserted or removed when desired.

To suspend the moistener above the ar' ticles which it is intended to moisten, I provide the shell with two lugs E, and connect to each lug a chain G, having a loop g, by which it may be secured to a proper hook or other means of suspension.

It is well known that moisture and liquids sink to the bottom, so that when absorbent material is filled with moisture the upper surface is constantly evaporating and drying up, While the lower portion contains the most moisture. 'By suspending the moistener above the articles, as is shown in the drawings, the entire outer surface is presented to the atmosphere,so that a constant evaporation is going on from all portions, especially the lower portion,where the most moisture is contained, thus providing a very efficient moistener.

In using my improved moistener the water is supplied to the liquid chamber either through the opening a or CF, and the sipl1onwick inserted in place. The mineral wool is then packed into its chamber and the closing' cap, placed on the end of the shell. The wick a is inserted through its opening and the moistener hung in place. The filling being of a more or less absorbent nature holds the liquid from running or dropping out, but permits a constant evaporation from the surface of the filling by means of the atmosphere over the goods spread out in the case.

The advantages of this style of moistener over the common dish or suspended holder is that the moisture in such structures sinksto the bottom, while the upper surface is constantly drying out, making the apparatus unusually effective at the start, but unsatisfactory when some of the moisture has evaporated. In my improvement the moisture that sinks to the lower portion of the shell will evaporate the same as that at the top, so that a good average efficiency is always obtained.

While I prefer the use of mineral Wool as a filling, on account of its being less liable to be fouled by odors, I do not intend to confine myself entirely to its use, as in damp southern climates, Where moisture in the air is abundant, a dry filling can be used and put in the shell, which will absorb some of the moisture from the atmosphere and keep it in an average condition.

I claim- 1. A cigar-moistener, composed of a shell made in the form of a cigar and provided with a perforated chamber for holding absorbent material and a chamber for holding liquids, a partition dividing such chambers provided with an aperture, a filling of absorbent material in one chamber and a fibrous wick passed through the aperture in the partition into the liquid-chamber with a portion extendinginto the material-chamber, and means for suspending the shell, substantially as described.

2. A cigar-moistener, composed of a shell provided with two chambers, one for holding absorbent material and the other adapted to hold liquids and provided with perforations around the absorbent-material chamber, a partition dividing such chambers and provided with a perforation, a wick passed through the perforation and having a portion extending into both chambers for conveying moisture from the liquid-chamber into the absorbent-material chamber, a removable cap at the outer end of the absorbent-material chamber through which material may be illserted or removed, and means for suspending the shell, substantially as described.

3. A cigar-moistener, composed of a shell made in the form of a cigar and provided with two chambers-one for holding material and the other for holding liquids, and provided with perforations extending entirely around the material-chamber, a partition dividing such chambers, a siphon-Wick passed through the perforation in the partition and extending into both chambers for the purpose of conveying moisture from the liquid-chamber into the material-chamber, an indicating-wick extending from the liquid-chamber to the outer surface, and means for suspending the shell, substantially as described.

HENRY T. SIDWAY. Witnesses: 7

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS B. McGREGoR. 

